Many new state laws go into effect

By Dalton Walker
Star Tribune

Starting today, laws passed by the 2006 Minnesota Legislature mean more money to help immigrants and children, tighter controls on the disposal of electronic gear and new requirements for notifying sexual assault victims when charges are dismissed. A sampling of those and other changes:

For computer, phone owners

A new law forbids throwing old computer monitors or TVs into the garbage. They must be recycled to remove hazardous substances including cadmium and lead. Minnesotans own an estimated 6 million TVs and 3 million computer monitors.

For a fee, professional recycling companies will take those appliances and other old electronic equipment, and some manufacturers offer recycling programs. Many counties and cities offer free hazardous waste recycling several times a year. For a list of those places in the Twin Cities area, go to www.greenguardian.com/throw6.asp

For tribal voters

It will be easier for American Indians to use tribal identification cards to register for voting on election day. A law prohibited that use of the cards in past years if the tribal member did not live on a reservation or if the card did not include a home address. If the identification card fails to show the bearer's address, it still will be accepted, but only with a valid document that verifies the address.

For children

Early childhood education and child care provider assistance will benefit from $15 million in allocations. Schools will see their early childhood appropriation increase to $112 per student, up $8. Child care assistance for eligible families on the basic sliding-fee waiting list is increased by $3.8 million for 2006, with $4 million more coming next year.

For boxers

The Minnesota Boxing Commission returns after a five-year hiatus. It is reestablished with a $50,000 appropriation. By the end of this year it must report to the Legislature with a fee schedule that will generate enough income to make it self-supporting.

For immigrants

To help recent immigrants learn to read English, $1.25 million is now available in adult literacy grants.

For assault victims

A prosecutor who decides not to file charges or to dismiss charges in a criminal sexual assault case must notify the victim, and if charges are dismissed must record the reason.